Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama says Osama bin Laden had a group of supporters within Pakistan helping to keep the al Qaeda leader secure for years, despite an American-led international manhunt that extended for nearly a decade with Islamabad's ostensible support.

Top U.S. officials insist Pakistan remains a critical U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism, but are demanding answers to troubling about questions bin Laden's presence in that country over the course of the last six years.

soundoff(5 Responses)

GonzoinHouston

There was no official policy of Pakistan's government to protect bin Laden. There WERE people within the government, some in positions of authority, who were protecting or concealing him. Maybe they did it for ideology, partisan politics, or just cash, but protect him they did. To blame the entire government for this is a little like denouncing an entire government for the abuses of a few corrupt bureaucrats.

Pakistan's government system is different than ours. There are portions, such as the military or intelligence service, that are political forces in their own right, and will not automatically follow the policies of the central government. We would be better off to identify which groups were protecting bin Laden and sanction them.

May 8, 2011 12:33 pm at 12:33 pm |

T'sah from Virginia

They knew he was there!!! With the military so close by and NONE of them knew??? Come on now!!! Seems to me as if the military run the country – protect whomever they want – and the government has NO IDEA what is taking place. Sad situation!.

May 8, 2011 01:04 pm at 1:04 pm |

jojo

I am thankful that those Seals did they job in such an efficent manner. The News Media needs to stop all of this nonsense with all the question about right or wrong. Would Bin Laden kill us if he had the chance; yes he would, and some of these questions are just out of line. I say Thank God for the Military and Seals for their wonderful job.

May 8, 2011 01:11 pm at 1:11 pm |

vic , nashville ,tn

We don’t need explanation from Pakistan. We done with Pakistan

Time for us to treat Pakistan like North Korea and Iran (Pakistan sponsor of terrorism)

May 8, 2011 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Rick McDaniel

That's what Pakistan would like us to believe, but of course, we really aren't that stupid.

It is obvious to any intelligent person, that the government had to know, he was there. You don't build a defensive compound like that, without raising questions about it.